Jim Gibbon, San Ramon resident - stated that he was happy that the Task Force had been resurrected and that he looked forward to additional citizen members being added and participating in future meetings.

4.

CONSENT ITEMS

None

5.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

None

6.

TASK FORCE BUSINESS

Debbie Chamberlain, Planning Services Division Manager – gave a PowerPoint presentation that provided an overview of the Committee’s By-Laws, past work, and next steps to be taken by the Task Force. The changes that were discussed in 2008 by the Open Space Task Force were recommended to the Parks Commission and have been incorporated into the newly adopted General Plan 2030. The changes reflect the recognition that there may be limited opportunity to acquire open space within City limits, and supported the City’s efforts to continue the work with the development community and other interested entities such as the East Bay Regional Park District, Save Mount Diablo, and Sierra Club.

During the public hearings on the General Plan 2030, Save Mount Diablo and others called for the preservation of Tassajara Valley, even though the City lacks land use control. Following the adoption of General Plan 2030, staff met with representatives of Save Mount Diablo who extended an offer to assist the City and explained a variety of funding sources that might be useful to preserve the Tassajara Valley as open space. Although that focus was only for Tassajara Valley, the focus of this Task Force does not have to be solely on the Tassajara Valley but can be on all the open space contiguous to the City of San Ramon, which includes the west side hills.

As part of the reactivation of the Task Force, the by-laws were amended and to now include the Chair, past Chair and Vice Chair of the Parks Commission, Chair and past Chair of the Planning Commission, one citizen member appointed to a two-year term, and the GHAD liaison who is also a Policy Committee member. When the work of the Task Force is complete, the Task Force will sunset until called upon again by the City Council.

The General Plan 2030 provides policies that will guide the work of the Task Force. The policies encouraged the utilization of Transfer Development Rights (TDR) to preserve open space and a Geological Hazard Abatement District (GHAD) as a funding mechanism to support the ongoing management of the open space.

Ms. Chamberlain stated that the Task Force needed to establish a day and time for future meetings, It was unanimously decided to hold the Open Space Task Force Meetings on the second Monday of every month, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber. The next scheduled meeting of the Task Force will be on Monday, December 12, 2011.

It was suggested for the next meeting that the agenda include a presentation of open space land in the Westside Specific Plan including property owners name, number of acres, zoning, jurisdiction and location map in color, along with a “virtual” tour of the area.

7.

REPORTS & UPDATES

None

8.

STAFF ITEMS

None

9.

CONTINUED ITEMS

None

10.

ADJOURNMENT

Meeting was adjourned at 5:58 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted:
Debbie Hince

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